Patient-Physician Communication

Enhancing the Office Experience for Your Patients - 08/30/2023

Enhancing the Office Experience for Your Patients

Help Patients Make Wise Choices About Treatment Options - 07/20/2023

Tools are emerging to help physicians overcome the time constraints that can preempt discussions with patients.

Texas Physicians Push to Improve Health Care for LGBTQ Patients - 06/28/2023

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ) patients face unique barriers that put them at greater risk for mental and physical health problems. Often, their health disparities result from a lack of family support, public prejudice, and fear of the health care system. Texas physicians have launched a new workgroup and are adapting their practices to treat this underserved population.

Do Appointments Establish a Patient-Physician Relationship? - 10/07/2022

When a new patient makes an appointment with my office, does that establish a patient-physician relationship between the patient and me?

Avoid Prescribing Pitfalls - 10/07/2022

Signing a prescription means you have a patient-physician relationship and all that goes with it. Follow these tips to avoid being taken in by a drug-seeking patient.

Notice to Patients on the Departure of a Physician - 10/07/2022

When a physician departs a group, the practice should consider the issue of continuity of care for patients. The Texas Medical Board (TMB), in an attempt to address this, adopted regulations that must be followed whenever a physician leaves a group. This applies to physicians who are partners, members, or employees of the group.

Patient Notification During Practice Transition - 10/28/2021

Patient Notification During Practice Transition

Ten Tips for Effective Voice-Mail Messages - 09/23/2021

Voice mail is a great tool, but it can waste time and cause frustration if you don’t use it wisely. Follow these tips for leaving effective voice-mail messages every time.

How to Handle Patient Complaints - 09/23/2021

When a patient raises a complaint, the staff’s best course of action is a coherent, concise response that preserves patient confidence and satisfaction.

Maintain an Attitude of Respect and Helpfulness Toward Patients - 09/23/2021

Maintain an Attitude of Respect and Helpfulness Toward Patients

Leading Innovation: Physician Entrepreneur Develops App to Engage Patients - 02/27/2021

In 2015, Austin cardiologist Manish Chauhan, MD, decided to finally act on an idea he’d been knocking around for a while – something to fill a void he’d witnessed when it came to engaging patients in their care.

Help Medicaid Patients Keep Appointments With Free Rides - 12/11/2019

If your Medicaid patient has trouble keeping his or her appointments with your office due to lack of transportation or gas money, be sure the patient knows how to seek help from Medicaid.

Are You Ready to E-Mail Your Patients? - 10/30/2019

Are You Ready to E-Mail Your Patients?

Are Your Patients Satisfied? Ask Them. - 10/29/2019

Are Your Ppatients Satisfied? Ask Them.

Ten Rules for E-Mail Etiquette - 05/30/2019

Ten Rules for E-Mail Etiquette

Six Ways to Increase Practice Portal Sign-Ups - 04/19/2018

Many Texas practices have a patient portal but report that patients are not signing up to use it. Here are some tips that have worked for other practices around the country.

Solve Conflict With These Four Steps - 08/31/2017

When patients’ emotions are high, their logic is low. To solve a conflict with a patient, you need lower the patient’s emotional level so you can negotiate a reasonable solution.

Use These Four Steps With Irate Patients - 12/19/2016

When faced with a highly emotional patient, your first task is to lower the emotional level of the patient so you can negotiate a reasonable solution. Use these four steps to accomplish that.

How to Apologize Like You Mean It - 11/15/2016

Everybody makes mistakes. Physicians — even the best, most well-intentioned ones — make mistakes. Regardless of the nature of the mistake, you must take steps to correct it, and that includes apologizing. But it’s important to do it right, or you may make matters worse.

You Can Connect With Patients — Safely — Using Social Media - 06/23/2016

While you should be wary of one-on-one communication with patients via social media for privacy reasons, you still can have an active presence this sphere.

Avoid the Jargon - 06/23/2016

A dictionary tool from the University of Michigan suggests plain-language alternatives to both medical and nonmedical words you might often use in your practice.